Doctor Who_ Blue Box - Kate Orman [70]
‘Without the other components, its abilities are limited, said Ghislain. ‘Its task is to analyse systems and adapt itself to them, or them to itself.’
The Doctor didn’t like the sound of that at all. ‘What do –’
The voice cut him off. ‘There is a further cause for concern. The component will have initiated its own gestatory process while still in ovo.’
‘It’s parthenogenetic?’ said the Doctor
‘As will be its offspring.’
Peri saw me looking lost. ‘It’s born pregnant. And its kids will be born pregnant. I guess they wanted to get their factory conveyor belt rolling,’ she added bitterly.
The Doctor was saying, ‘Not only have you unleashed a mind-altering living computer on this bumbling little planet, but you’ve placed a miniature horde of them into the hands of a sociopath!’ He stabbed at finger at the speakerphone. ‘You said the creature can adapt systems to itself. There’s more to this than a clutch of baby components running about. That
“specialised” creature can modify machines. Computers.
Heaven only knows what Swan might be able to do with it.’
Bob said, ‘What does that mean, it can modify computers?’
‘Think of it as the ultimate programmer. It can acquire computer languages the way an infant acquires a human language. A native speaker of hexadecimal. Hacking a system
– in either sense – would be as natural to it as playing with blocks. As natural to it as giving birth.’
Bob slowly said, ‘Do you mean it could make-a copy of itself into a computer? A machine language version of itself?’
‘That’s precisely what I mean.’
‘It is true,’ admitted the Eridani’s crackling voice.
‘The human race is just entering a phase of its history in which it relies heavily on computers,’ the Doctor told the speakerphone. ‘And you have introduced this spanner into those delicate works.’
‘The device will not operate without commands.’
‘Swan is right there to give it those commands. Intuitively, remember? Your ham-fisted-contraption –’
‘All right, CUT IT OUT!’
The Doctor swung around. Stray Cat leapt out of his lap and ran for the safety of the kitchen. Peri was standing with her fists planted firmly on her hips. ‘I can’t believe I’m hearing this!’ she said. ‘You’re both as bad as each other.’
‘Peri, I’m in the middle of a very delicate negotiation’ said the Doctor.
She emitted an exasperated hiss. ‘Listen to you, talking about that poor little thing in the tub as though it was a machine.’
‘It is a machine,’ said the Doctor. ‘Of sorts.’
You wouldn’t talk about some poor kid like that. You know, one of those autistic kids who’s a mathematical genius.
Whatever that little alien guy can do, it’s still a living, breathing creature. It’s got rights. I mean, for heaven’s sake, it’s just a baby.’ The Doctor’s shoulders were progressively slumping in the blast. ‘It’s not a stolen computer, it’s a kidnapped kid. And you and those other guys have to get it back before it gets hurt or sick or Swan makes it do something awful. And that goes for its babies, too.’
‘Peri,’ said the Doctor, ‘we’re not talking about a lost puppy. The component has the potential to wreck your civilisation in a very short space of time. What’s worse, it’s affecting Swan’s already unpleasant mind.’ He steepled his fingers. ‘It probably interferes with the brain’s opiate receptors. Like a particularly powerful addictive drug. You saw how desperate her friend Luis was to retrieve it.’
‘It makes them want to own it?’
‘That’s right. For our lost idiot savant, it’s become a survival mechanism. It needs to be sheltered and fed and supplied with technological toys.’
Peri said firmly, ‘I want to talk to those guys.’
The Doctor sat back from the speakerphone. Peri hesitated, but Ghislain’s voice said,’We are listening.’
‘What will you do with it when you get it back?’ she asked.
‘We will return home with it. It will be put to normal use. ‘
‘What about your colony world?’
A new slow packet has already been launched. Its guidance systems now include Earth and